FT: Harriers 2 Imps 1

20 December 2014

Match report...

Delano Sam-Yorke and Tyrell Waite replaced Jordan Burrow and Ben Tomlinson for this Vanarama Conference game against Kidderminster Harriers at Aggborough whilst Tony Diagne returned on the bench following a spell out injured.

Kidderminster kicked off on a heavy looking pitch an it was a scrappy opening as both teams took their time to settle into proceedings. In fact it wasn't until the fifth minute until a keeper was called into action; Paul Farman punching away a free-kick after Hamza Bencherif was penalised for a foul on Reece Styche.

A high boot from Waite on Styche then gave Kevin Nicholson the chance to whip in another free-kick but Farman got down well to keep the ball out before smothering on his six-yard line. At the other end Waite connected with a Jon Nolan cross but was flagged offside.

A Sean Newton cross was cleared for the game's first corner in the 12th minute but the set-piece routine failed to find a way through the home defence. A couple of minutes later ex-Imp Josh Gowling headed away a Newton corner before Charlee Adams saw his powerful 25-yard drive held by Danny Lewis.

In the 19th minute Tom Miller went in hard on Nicholson and with referee Adam Hopkins quickly on the scene, he opted to book Jake Caprice instead. Farman then kept out Nicholson's free-kick.

A knock to Jon Nolan forced him off three minutes later with Arnaud Mendy coming on as his replacement in the middle of the park and after a City corner was cleared, Jared Hodgkiss tripped on the turf but the referee decided that Newton tripped him and out came a harsh yellow card.

There was almighty confusion shortly after the half-hour mark when Alan Power and Jack Byrne went in for a 50/50 ball. Both players remained on their feet but referee Hopkins was on the scene and wafting a red card. Nobody appeared to know who the recipient was - it appeared from a distance to be Byrne - but once things calmed down and the players dispersed, it was Power who trudged off with a disconsolate look on his face.

When play resumed, Bencherif had a header well saved by Lewis and when the resultant corner was cleared and the ball played back into the box, the referee stopped play for treatment to a Harriers defender.

In the 42nd minute the advancing Caprice tried his luck from range but saw his effort fly just over. Before the goal-kick was taken, Miller required treatment, both on and off the pitch, and when he returned he won a corner which came to nothing.

In the second of three added minutes a long Miller throw lead to another corner and when Newton's deep delivery was headed back across by Waite there to divert the ball past Lewis was DELANO SAM-YORKE to silence the home fans and keep the travelling fans in full voice.

HT: HARRIERS 0 IMPS 1

Both teams emerged unchanged for the start of the second half and City started brightly with a swift break three minutes in ending with Sam-Yorke heading a Caprice cross wide.

A couple of minutes later Byrne was booked for a block on Sam-Yorke but the action quickly switched to the other end and when a long ball forward was knocked down by Styche into the path of Marvin Johnson, he pulled the trigger and volleyed home a fine leveller.

Miller, wearing the captain's armband since Power's dismissal, then sliced a Johnson cross over his bar and when the corner came in, Gowling went in late on Farman who came out to punch clear.

City's response saw Waite win a corner which was headed away by Gowling and a minute later the former was replaced by Ben Tomlinson.

Callum Gittings fired wide from Harriers next attack on the hour mark before brave goalkeeping from Farman saw him claim the ball under pressure from Styche. Byrne then felled Adams but escaped a second yellow before the City midfielder fired wide from 25 yards.

A deep Nicholson free-kick was cleared behind by Bencherif but fortunately for the Imps, Jamie Grimes headed well wide when the corner was played in. Akwasi Asante for Reece Styche was Harriers first change shortly afterwards.

In the 72nd minute a Newton cross was claimed by Lewis under pressure from Tomlinson whilst at the other end Newton blocked a Hodgkiss cross for a corner which was dealt with. Sam-Yorke was then blocked off the ball in the box but referee Hopkins gave nothing.

Ahmed Obeng replaced Craig Reid for Harriers with 10 minutes on the clock and after a rare quiet spell, Sam-Yorke was scythed down by Gowling six minutes later. Gowling saw yellow before Newton's low free-kick was cleared.

In the final minute of normal time Newton headed away a corner before Farman palmed away the follow-up centre whilst early on in three added minutes Tomlinson was booked for a foul on Johnson.

Farman produced a superb save to deny Gowling before Miller got in a block to divert ball over the bar but the home side kept the ball alive from the corner and when the ball ran free, substitute Obeng fired home through a crowded box.